In recent years, apparatuses with a communication function using a wireless local area network (WLAN) have become widespread. As examples of the apparatuses, beginning with smartphones that also have a mobile communication function in mobile communication services, various kinds of apparatuses such as personal computers (PCs), tablet terminals, portable game devices, digital cameras, and printers are exemplified.
In general, an apparatus with a WLAN communication function is connected to a WLAN to perform transmission and reception of data by way of the WLAN. In other words, the apparatus performs transmission and reception of data by way of an access point of the WLAN. In addition, as an example of communication not by way of a WLAN (or an access point), the apparatus is, for example, connected to a mobile communication terminal and performs transmission and reception of data by way of the mobile communication terminal and a mobile communication network. That is, the apparatus performs transmission and reception of data through tethering. With regard to tethering, various technologies have been proposed.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology for enabling a device that is a relay destination to continue communication even when an amount of electric charge of a device that performs relaying using tethering decreases.